Double-headed motion picture projector supporting means



April 4, 1944. J. ADORNO 2,345,911

DOUBLE-HEADED MOTION PICTURE PROJECTOR SUPPORTING MEANS Filed Nov. 3, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN T OR A TTOR/VE )5 Joseph Adorno.

J. ADORNO 7 April 4, 1944.

DOUPLE-HEADED MOTION PICTURE PROJECTOR SUPPORTING MEANS Filed NOV. 3 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 T TORNEVS April 4, 1944.

J. ADORNO DOUBLE-HEADED MOTION PICTURE PROJECTOR SUPPORTING MEANS Filed Nov. 3 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR m m w M 5 w M M 1 %F m w I a A Q h \x m ma r4 7. T

Patented Apr. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOUBLE-HEADED MOTION PICTURE PROJECTOR SUPPORTING MEANS 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a double headed motion picture projector supporting means. It has to do, more particularly, with a single supporting means for supporting two motion picture projectors.

In the past it has been customary to provide two projectors in a booth so that a switch can be made from one reel to another without interruption in the program. In the past, each projection machine has been independently supported. Since the machines are positioned side by side in the projection booth, it has been difficult to thread the film in the machine to the left due to the fact that the door to the film threading mechanism is always on the right side of the machine and is, therefore, very close to the machine which is situated on the right in the booth. In some cases this difiiculty is overcome by moving the machine on the left away from the other machine. In some theaters, however, this is impossible to do, due to the small projection booth. It is necessary in these cases for the operator to reach in between the two machines and thread the film on the machine to the left while it is in close association with the machine on the right which is at the time, in operation. Besides being cramped while carrying out this threading operaton, the operatorhas to work close to the extreme heat generated by the operating'machine on the right. Another disadvantage of having the projection machine independently supported is that the floor in some cases is uneven and the heavy machines tend to make it even more uneven thus resulting in slight variances between machines which are disposed side by side. This variance must be corrected by adjusting each machine each time it is rolled out of normal position, and then back into normal position.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a single supporting means for supporting both projecting machines.

Another object of my invention is to provide a supporting means for projection machines which supports the right-handed machine in a substantially rigid position while allowing the left-handed machine to be swung at an angle from the normal position to permit threading of the film.

Another object of my invention is to provide a supporting means for projection machines which is possessed of vertical, lateral and tilting adjustments.

Another object of my invention is to provide a supporting means which is of simple construction and which can be used with any of the projection machines now in use.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a supporting means constructed according to my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of my supporting means showing the lamp housing and the projecting machine in both normal and tilting positions.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the supporting means showing the projecting machine in normal Position.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the supporting means showing the left projecting machine at right angles from the normal position to permit threading of the film in the machine.

Figure 5 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the movable shaft member and the projector platform with the associated parts in disassembled relationship.

Figure 6 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the light housing platform and yoke retaining member.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the movable shaft shown in locked position.

Figure 8 is a rear elevational view of the adjustable lamp housing supports.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional View taken along line 9--9 of Figure 8.

With reference to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, I illustrate a pair of projecting machines I and 2 and a pair of lamp housings 3 and 4 carried on a main pedestal support 5. The pedestal 5 is supported on a base portion 6.

The pedestal 5 has an upper portion 1 suitably bolted to it as at 8. The upper portion 1 is in the form of a forwardly extending arm. A U-shaped bracket 9 is suitably bolted on the forward end of the portion '1 at E0. The bracket 9 has vertical portions II and [2 which support the platforms l3 and M on which the projection machines I and 2 ar disposed.

The lamp housing 4 is carried by a separate platform l5, disposed behind platform l3, while the housing 3 is disposed on the rear end of the platform M. The platforms I4 and !5 are supported at the rear by means of a vertically movable support member is which has a threaded portion l6a on its lower end. The threaded portion Ilia cooperates with a worm gear disposed in the housing I? which is supported by a bracket member i8 bolted to the rear edge of the member 1. A worm 19 (Figure 1) is carried by the shaft 20 and meshes with the worm gear. The shaft 20 has a knob 20a on its outer end so that by rotating the knob 23a the shaft I6 can be raised or lowered. The upper end of the shaft l 6 has a tongue extension 2| formed thereon with an opening 22 disposed in the tongue member. An arcuate shaped bracket 23 having a bifurcated portion 24 on its lower end fits over the tongue member 2| and is held thereon by a pin 25 which passes through the opening 22 in the tongue member 2!. The left arm 23a (Fig ure 8) of the bracket 23 supports the platform I5 while the right arm 2317 supports the rearof the platform [4. The arm 23a has upstanding ear portions 26 into which a tonguemember 21, supported on the under side of the platform l5, extends. The right arm 23b has ear portions 28 supported thereon. The cars 28 are mounted for lateral movement in the arm by means of a pin 29 fitting into an arcuate slot 38 (Figure 9) formed in the side of the arm 23b. A horizontally extending screw 3| threaded into the pin 29 permits the pin to turn in the arcuate slot 55 but limits the extent of its turning movement. A tongue member 32 cooperates With the ear members 28 in the same manner as the tongue member 21 with the ears 26. The arcuate slot 38 and the pin connection 29 allows the platform i l to have a slight play so as to permit it to be swung to the right or left when necessary. This adjustment is permanent once the machine has been set in place in the theater.

The portion 12 of bracket 9 supports the platform H1 at substantially the center by means of a pivot connection 33 (Figure 1). This connection 33 permits the platform Hi to be turned to the right or left and also to be tilted. The tilting of the platforms l4 and I5 is accomplished by rotating the knob 25a thus raising or lowering the shaft IS.

The platform i3 supports the left projecting machine 2 and can be swung to the left at right angles to its normal position in order to thread the film into the machine. Figures 5 and 6 best show the mechanism for swinging the projecting machine 2 to the left. A vertical shaft 5d (Fi ures 5 and '7) is so mounted in supporting portion ii that it can be rotated therein. Formed on the top end of the shaft 34 is a collar member 35 with a recessed portion 36 in the center thereof. A hinge member 37 having one part carried by the shaft 35 and the other part carried by a bifurcated member 38 is disposed in the recess 35 and permits forward tilting movement of member 38. A clearance is provided between the collar member 35 and the bifurcated member 38 to permit the forward tilt of member 38.

A member 39 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the bifurcated upper portion of member 35 by a pin 33a. Member 39 extends through an opening 40 in the platform E3. The upper end of member 39 is pivotally connected to the platform l3 by means of a pin 4!. The pins 590: and 4| are disposed at right angles to each other. Thus, the platform l3 can be tilted forwardly and backwardly and also can be swung laterally.

The platform [3 has a reduced rear end portion d2 which has beveled side edges as shown best'in Figure 5. Portion 42 cooperates with a mal position.

forwardly directed U-shaped support member 44 carried by the forward end of the platform 15. The member M has an upper arcuate flange 45 and a lower arcuate flange 46 formed on one side and has a cam portion 41 formed on the other side. The flanges 45 and 46 have slots 45a and Mia running horizontally and which conform to the arcuate shape of the flanges. The portion 42 is inserted between the flanges 45 and it and a locking pin 48 is passed through the arcuate slots 45a and 46a and through the opening 42a formed in the portion 42. (Figure 7). It will be noted that the rear portion of platform it will consequently rest on the arcuate cam 57.

The platform I3 is locked in normal position by the spring-pressed locking pin 49 which is mounted on the platform l5 adjacent U-shaped member 44. The forward end of the pin 69 extends into the opening 59a. disposed in the rear end of the portion 42 when platform 13 is in normal postition. A spring 58 disposed in a housing 5| normally holds the pin 49 in forward position. A release lever 52 is provided to disengage th locking pin 49 from the opening 49a when it is desired to rotate the platform 13 about the axis of the shaft 34.

Since it is necessary that the lamp housing and the projecting machine 2 be held in perfect alignment with each other, it is desirable to provide a locking means which is more substantial than the spring-pressed pin 49 which serves as an aligning device. Therefore, I provide an arm 53 carried by the support H (Figures 1 and 3) which supports a bearing plate 54 on its upper end which, in turn, has a bearing cover 55 bolted thereon. A trunnion 56 (Figure 3) carried by the U-shaped support 44 has its outer end rotatably disposed in the bearing 55. The bearing plate 54 is rigidly supported and has a forwardly directed horizontal extension 5411. An L-shaped member 5'! is suitably carried by the forward end of the portion 54a and has a vertical slot 58 formed therein. A cooperating locking member 59 in the form of a leaf spring is supported on the right-hand side of the U-shaped member 34 and extends into the slot 58 as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The slot 53 is necessary to permit vertical swinging of the forward end of the member 59 when the projecting machine platform l3 and the lamp housing platform 15 are tilted simultaneously about axis of pin 4| and trunnion 56 which are in alignment. Bearings 60 and BI are carried by the platform l3 as shown in Figure 5. A shaft 62 is rotatably carried by the bearings and has a locking finger 63 on its right end. When the platform l3 and projecting machine 2 are in normal position the finger 63 may be swung downwardly behind member 59 and will frictionally contact therewith. On the left end of the shaft 62 is a slotted catch member 66 which engages the L-shaped member 55, which is supported on the left rear side of the U-shaped member 44, when the projecting machine. 2 is swung to a position substantially at right angles to nor- When the platform 13 is swung to the left to permit the threading of the film into the machine through the door 201 as shownin Figure 4, it is also necessary to swing the driving belt and motor as well. To accomplish this object, a tongue extension 66 is formed integral with the lower end of the shaft 34 and has openings 8! and 68 formed therein. The tongue member passes through a slotted washer member 69 and extends into a vertical slot 10 formed in a post support H. Bolt members 12 and I3 hold the tongue member firmly in the slot and the post H can be rotated along with the shaft 34. The lower end of the post 7! is mounted for rotating movement in the thrust bearing 14 carried on the forward end of the base portion 6.

Disposed on the post "H is a forwardly extending bearing support 15 which carries a stub shaft 16 on one end of which is keyed a drive pulley TI. A forwardly extending bracket support 18 carries a motor 19 which drives the belt 86 which in turn drives the pulley l1. Pulley ll drives the projecting machine by means of belt 8| It will be apparent from the above that the entire projecting machine and driving mechanism will be swung to the left out of normal position when it is desired to thread the film into the machine as shown in Figure 4.

The operation of my device will now be described in detail. When the projection machine on the left is in its normal position it is focused on the screen. The machine on the right is used when the machine on the left is being threaded with film. The focusing of the right machine is done when the support is installed in the theater and will be permanent. The projection machine and the lamp housing 3 are both supported on the same platform and, therefore, are always in proper alignment with each other once they are adjusted. The rear end of the platform M will be permitted to swing slightly during this adjustment due to the arrangement of pin 3| and the slot 30. The tilting action on the two projection machines I and 2 will be uniform due to the single adjustment means 20a which raises and lowers the shaft It. Once this adjustment is set in the theater it will not be necessary to vary it.

When it is desired to swing the left projecting machine for threading the film into it, it will be necessary to release the locking finger 63 from engagement with the member 59 and swing the machine to the left about the axis of the shaft 34. The portion 42 of platform l3 will swing in an arcuate path between the flanges 45 and 46. The platform [3 will tend to drop downwardly slightly about the axis of hinge 4| because of the cam portion 41. The beveled shape of the portion 42 as well as a loose fit between the portion 42 and flanges 45 and 45 and the loose fit between the pin 48 and the opening 42a, will allow a slight twisting action and permit the platform 13 the slight downward movement on the cam portion 41. The clearance between the washer member and the bifurcated member 38 will allow the machine to follow the track of the cam portion 41. The clasp 64 will interfit with the member 65 thus locking the projecting machine 2 in the position shown in Figure 4. When the machine 2 is in this position, the film can be easily threaded while the other machine I is in operative position. After the film has been threaded and it is desired to put the machine in operating position, the spring pressed pin member 49 will align the platform IS with the light housing support l5. The locking finger 63 can then be swung into position behind member 59 v and will hold the machine firmly with substantially no vibration.

From the above description it will be apparent that I provide a double-headed motion picture projector supporting means which will have many advantages.

One of the advantages is that I provide a supporting means which will permit the left projecting machine to be swung away from the line of projection so that films may be inserted into the machine.

Another advantage of my invention is that I provide a supporting means having a single base portion for both machines thus saving much space in the projecting booth.

Another advantage of my invention is that I provide a supporting means which is of a simple construction and which can b manufactured with a great saving in material.

Another advantage of my invention is that I provide a supporting means for two projecting machines having one base thus making it unnecessary to compensate for the unevenness in the floor of the building.

Various other advantages will be readily apparent.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Apparatus of the type described comprising a single supporting base, means for supporting a pair of moving picture projecting machines on said single base in side by side relationship, means for supporting lamp housings in axial alignment with said machines, said supporting means including a platform for supporting one of said machines and one of said lamp housings in substantially fixed relationship and a platform for supporting the other of said machines and the other of said lamp housings, said platform comprising a machine supporting section and a lamp housing supporting section, said latter section being mounted to resist lateral movement, said machine supporting section being mounted for swinging movement relative to said other section, said section having a rearwardly extending portion, a U-shaped member rigidly held by the lamp housing section, means for holding the rearwardly extending portion in the U-shaped member so as to permit it to swing in an arcuate path to a position at right angles to its normal position.

2. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein a cam portion is carried by said U-shaped member upon which the machine supporting section rests. and which permits downward tilting movement of said section when it is swung out of its normal position.

JOSEPH ADORNO. 

